Opposition Party Approves 3-Year Extension of High School Free Education Special Case in Education Subcommittee

Ruling Party Opposes Central Government Support Plan

The opposition party unilaterally passed a bill in the National Assembly's Education Committee's Subcommittee on Bill Review to extend for three years the special provision that the central government supports part of the budget for free high school education. The ruling party opposed the funding structure plan and did not attend the subcommittee vote.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 29th, the Education Committee's Subcommittee on Bill Review passed the amendment to the Local Education Finance Grant Act as a committee alternative. The amendment includes extending the special provision, which requires 47.5% of the funding for free high school education to be allocated by the central government and 5% by local governments, until December 31, 2027, for three more years. If the amendment is not processed in the full Education Committee meeting and the plenary session, the special provision will expire at the end of this year.

Ruling party lawmakers opposed the opposition's unilateral handling and did not participate in the subcommittee vote. On the 24th, Jo Jeong-hoon, a member of the People Power Party, introduced an amendment to the Local Education Finance Grant Act to extend the special provision but reduce the national government's share. However, Moon Jeong-bok, the opposition party's floor leader from the Democratic Party, rejected it, citing that the ruling party's proposal had not undergone the required reflection period. Jo Jeong-hoon stated during a procedural speech, "It is difficult for the People Power Party to accept the Democratic Party's opposition to direct referral of the bill," adding, "I suspect the Democratic Party came into the standing committee determined to force the bill through."

The opposition accused the ruling party of stalling. They claimed that although bills related to free high school education have been continuously proposed since July, the government and ruling party have ignored them. Go Min-jeong, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said, "The Ministry of Education said it would persuade the Ministry of Economy and Finance to secure funding, but ultimately nothing has been upheld regarding free high school education," adding, "Boycotting the meeting because direct referral was not accepted is essentially opposing free high school education."

Moon Jeong-bok criticized, "We cannot accept the content of the bill introduced by Representative Jo," and said, "If today's meeting does not proceed, the special provision related to free high school education will sunset, making it impossible to provide free high school education from next year. I cannot understand the People Power Party walking out of the meeting."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.